Mannan-Binding Lectin (MBL) Serum Concentration in Relation to Propagation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) in Chickens

• Published in: Viral immunology Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 562 - 570
• Main Authors: Juul-Madsen, Helle R., Norup, Liselotte R., Handberg, Kurt J., Jørgensen, Poul H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.12.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Chickens; Complement C4b - analysis; Complement Pathway, Mannose-Binding Lectin; Coronavirus Infections - immunology; Coronavirus Infections - veterinary; Crosses, Genetic; DNA, Viral - analysis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Infectious bronchitis virus - physiology; Innate Immunity; Male; Mannose-Binding Lectin - blood; Mannose-Binding Lectin - genetics; Mannose-Binding Lectin - immunology; Poultry Diseases - immunology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• ISSN: 0882-8245; 1557-8976
• DOI: 10.1089/vim.2007.0036

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a collectin that mediates activation of the complement system and is of importance for host defenses. In humans low concentrations of MBL in serum have been associated with susceptibility to several viral diseases. To understand the function of MBL in relation to infectious viral diseases two chicken lines were selected for high and low concentrations of MBL in serum for several generations. Offspring from the two sub-lines were subjected to infection with infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in order to determine their genetic susceptibility to the virus. Results suggested that MBL plays a role in the innate immunity against IBV in the way that it performs an acute phase response, is able to activate complement, and inhibits the propagation of the virus in the trachea.